One of the most common household items is a hairbrush (also referred to herein as, “brush”). Men and women, both young and old, utilize brushes daily, often more than once a day, for brushing, tidying and detangling hair. Typically, a comb is used for grooming shorter hair, while a brush is used for longer hair. When using the brush, hairs that get pulled out of their follicles or have fallen out by themselves typically become trapped and intertwined among the bristles. In order to maintain the effectiveness of the brush, the user will clean the brush by picking out the trapped hairs from the bristles by hand and/or running the brush under, or soaking the brush in water.
Depending on the amount of hair that becomes trapped among the bristles per use, it may be desirable to clean the brush after each use. Such a process is time consuming and may become frustrating due to the recurring need to clean the brush.
There have been numerous attempts to produce a brush that allows a user to easily remove trapped hairs, thereby reducing the time spent on the brush cleaning process. However, many of these brushes comprise removable and/or breakable components, and require a certain amount of skill to use. Additionally, many of these brushes do not have the appearance of conventional hairbrushes, which may be difficult for the consumer to get used to.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,563 discloses a hairbrush body having a handle at one longitudinal end and a face out of which an array of bristles project, at the other longitudinal end. The interior of the body of the hairbrush is essentially hollow except for a plurality of springs that are mounted upright along the length of the brush, for supporting a plate to which the array of bristles is affixed. An arcuate cleaning plate having an array of apertures through which the bristles protrude, is fixedly situated at the upper surface of the face of the brush. The supporting plate comprises a push button extending upward through the handle, such that by pressing down on thereon, the springs are compressed and the supporting plate as well as the bristles are lowered into the interior of the brush. Hairs trapped among the bristles are gathered at the surface of the cleaning plate, and may be removed therefrom. The push button preferably extends upward a distance equal to the length of the bristles, such that when pressing down on the push button, all of the bristles may extend below the arcuate surface, thereby allowing all of the trapped hair to be lifted all the way to the free ends of the bristles. Due to the location of the push button, holding the handle while brushing is difficult and awkward. Additionally, the user may inadvertently press down on the push button while brushing her hair, causing discomfort.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,219 discloses a hairbrush with retractable bristles. The body of the hairbrush comprises a hollow chamber, comprising a handle portion and a head portion. An array of bristles is affixed to the flat upper surface of a wedge shaped member that is situated within the head portion. The cam surface of the wedge shaped member is supported by a roller attached to a linking arm that is situated in the handle portion. In an initial position, the bristles protrude through the apertures in the cover face of the head portion. A plurality of compressed springs is situated between the cover face and the flat upper surface of the wedge member. When sliding the linking arm towards the longitudinal end of the handle portion, away from the wedge member, the springs force the wedge member, and thereby the bristles, downward into the hollow chamber of the head, to the retracted position. The linking arm travels within the handle portion by sliding a protruding stub from one end of the handle to the other. During the brushing procedure, the stub may be inadvertently slid, causing discomfort and requiring the mechanism to be reset in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,902 discloses a hairbrush having a liftable cleaning plate. In an initial position, the plate rests at the base of the bristles and is secured in place by a removable bracket situated at the longitudinal tip of the brush head. The removable bracket is a small component that may be easily misplaced and lost.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,542 discloses a self cleaning hairbrush having a pad with multiple layers of cleaning sheets situated at the base of the bristles. Each cleaning sheet is pulled upward and stripped from the brush, removing hair trapped among the bristles along with it. After using up the original pad, the device reverts to a conventional hairbrush.
RU 2,186,514 discloses a hairbrush comprising an elongated handle, the lower tip of which is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the handle, an oval shaped head portion joined at one end to the handle, and a shaft that runs from the lower tip of the handle, through the handle, along the length of the backside of the head portion. A plate for raising and lowering is situated, in its initial position, at the base of the brush's bristles. Lifting means is situated along the shaft at the underside of the head portion. The lifting means comprises two pairs of identical mechanisms. Each pair comprises two bolts oppositely threaded on the shaft, wherein each bolt comprises an arm extending from each side of the bolt, to opposite transverse edges of the head portion. The distal end of each arm extends to, and is situated at, the outer surface of the head portion. Each of two linking elements are pivotally joined at each of their first ends to each other, and at each of their second ends to one of each distal end of adjacent arms, situated at the same transverse side of the head portion, exposed to the surroundings external to the brush. Thus, linking elements are also situated at the outer surface of the head portion. The first ends of the linking elements that are pivotally joined to each other are further joined to the plate. When rotating the rotatable tip in one direction, the bolts, as well as the second ends of the linking elements are shifted toward each other along the shaft, thereby causing the first end of the linking elements to travel upward. This causes the plate to rise, and the trapped hair along with it, such that the hair may be removed therefrom. However, since the linking elements are exposed, hair may get caught therein during brushing, and inadvertently pull out hairs from their follicles, causing pain to the user. Additionally, if the brush is stored in a purse or handbag, articles such as key chains, clips, etc. may get caught by the linking elements and cause damage to the elements. Even worse, if the linking elements comprise any sharp edges, the user may get injured during use. Moreover, the linking elements are aesthetically unpleasing and may be undesirable to a consumer who prefers the appearance of a conventional hairbrush.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved hairbrush for allowing trapped hair to be easily removed therefrom, and which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an improved hairbrush that has an outer appearance of a conventional hairbrush.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an improved hairbrush that does not contain any dangerous or unsightly components.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an improved hairbrush that does not require any skill to use.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an improved hairbrush that is inexpensive to produce and maintain.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention shall become apparent as the description proceeds.